Vikings, Diggs reach deal on 5-year extension

EAGAN, MINN. » The Minnesota Vikings locked up another core player with a long-term contract Tuesday, signing wide receiver Stefon Diggs to a five-year extension and moving the star of the “Minneapolis Miracle” pass into the NFL’s top 10 highest-paid players at his position.

Diggs has yet to post a 1,000-yard or 100-catch season, but his ability was on full display when he turned a sideline catch into a 61yard touchdown as time ran out to lift the Vikings to victory over New Orleans in last season’s playoffs. Selected in the fifth round out of Maryland in 2015, Diggs has been one of the biggest steals of that draft. He formed a prolific tandem with Adam Thielen last year, helping Case Keenum stabilize the passing game after Sam Bradford was injured.

Now the Vikings have a new quarterback in Kirk Cousins, who was elated by the news that Diggs is under contract through 2023.

“What I most like is he loves football and loves to come and work, because as a quarterback it can be miserable if you’re out here with someone who is here to just get a paycheck and leave,” Cousins said. “He wants to work.”

The Vikings offense was at the new practice facility on Monday night past 9 p.m.

“I’ve been a part of some locker rooms where by 9 o’clock, some of your guys are sleeping in the back row, not taking notes, not paying attention. They’re basically checked out, texting or whatever,” Cousins said. “That’s not him. That’s not these guys.”

The new deal is valued at $72 million plus an additional $9 million in possible incentives. Diggs, who will play the final season of his rookie deal for the original base salary of slightly more than $1.9 million, received a $15 million signing bonus.

Alex Smith frustrating Norman early in camp

RICHMOND, VA. » Alex Smith is frustrating Josh Norman.

Norman likes having Smith with the Washington Redskins, but practice time against the veteran quarterback at training camp hasn’t been as beneficial as the big-money cornerback had hoped. That’s because Smith has been so on-point with his decision-making and throws that Norman isn’t getting a whole lot of work in team drills.

“You’re in great position, you get there top of the route, you’re ready for your play to be made and it doesn’t come,” Norman said. “But the ones you are a little step behind on and you’re almost there to make it, he throws it. It’s those games, cat and mouse, man. It’s cat-and-mouse games that it just sucks when you’re the mouse.”

Norman feels like the mouse early in camp but hopes facing a QB like Smith each day benefits him in the long run. Entering the third season of a $75 million, fiveyear contract,

RG III finds new chances with Ravens

OWINGS MILLS, MD. » Robert Griffin III rolled to his right and threw a tight spiral down the middle of the field to a receiver that was being closely covered by a pair of defenders.

Several plays later, he dropped back and launched a 50-yard pass to a receiver running down the sideline.

Griffin is quietly making a comeback as a backup quarterback for the Baltimore Ravens.

Though starter Joe Flacco and rookie Lamar Jackson have received most of the attention at training camp, Griffin hopes to make some noise at the annual Hall of Fame game against the Chicago Bears on Thursday night.